George Rawlinson


George Rawlinson was a British scholar, historian, and Christian theologian.

Life

Rawlinson was born at Chadlington, Oxfordshire, the son of Abram Tysack Rawlinson and the younger brother of the famous Assyriologist, Sir Henry Rawlinson. He was educated at Ealing school. Having taken his degree at the University of Oxford in 1838, he was elected to a fellowship at Exeter College, Oxford, in 1840, of which from 1842 to 1846 he was fellow and tutor. He was ordained in 1841, was curate at Merton, Oxfordshire from 1846 to 1847, Bampton lecturer in 1859, and was Camden Professor of Ancient History from 1861 to 1889.
In his early days at Oxford, Rawlinson played cricket for the University, appearing in five matches between 1836 and 1839 which have since been considered to have been first-class.
In 1872 he was appointed canon of Canterbury, and after 1888 he was rector of the rich City benefice All Hallows, Lombard Street. In 1873, he was appointed proctor in Convocation for the Chapter of Canterbury.
He married in 1846 Louisa Chermside, daughter of Sir Robert Alexander Chermside. They celebrated their golden wedding in 1896.
Canon Rawlinson died at his residence in Cathedral precincts, Canterbury, on 6 October 1902.

Publications

His chief publications are his translation of the History of Herodotus, 1858–60; The Five Great Monarchies of the Ancient Eastern World, 1862–67; The Sixth Great Oriental Monarchy, 1873; The Seventh Great Oriental Monarchy, 1875; Manual of Ancient History, 1869; Historical Illustrations of the Old Testament, 1871; The Origin of Nations, 1877; History of Ancient Egypt, 1881; Egypt and Babylon, 1885; History of Phoenicia, 1889; Parthia, 1893; Memoir of Major-General Sir HC Rawlinson, 1898. His lectures to an audience at Oxford University on the topic of the accuracy of the Bible in 1859 were published as the apologetic work The Historical Evidences of the Truth of the Scripture Records Stated Anew in later years. He was also a contributor to the Speaker's Commentary, the Pulpit Commentary, Smith's Dictionary of the Bible, and various similar publications. He was the author of the article "Herodotus" in the 9th edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica.